Laboratory Team Leader in Douglas

To lead the small in‑house lab, taking responsibility for the day‑to‑day running of the area, maintenance of accreditations and taking an active role in the food safety and quality management system.

Key Responsibilities

• Day to day supervision of the laboratory technicians and laboratory activities including sampling and testing, maintenance of laboratory procedures and records and document control systems.
• Day to day organisation of producer payment sample testing, review of results and appropriate action on non‑conformances, with direct communication to producers. Maintenance of producer information.
• Train laboratory staff in procedures and methods and keep training records. Undertake witness method audits as part of the Laboratory internal audit.
• Implement and maintain laboratory accreditation status (CLAS) to assure accuracy and confidence in the reporting of laboratory results to the various departments within the production environment and to producers requesting analyses.
• Organisation of Internal and External laboratory proficiency testing, collation of results, reporting and following up non‑conformances.
• Create internal reports on quality performance, including lab records, external quality assessment reports and environmental controls when requested.
• Be part of the Team and contribute to the studies for all products and conduct CCP audits on site.
• Organise and undertake site hygiene and fabric inspections, agreeing corrective actions and verifying close out.
• Carry out investigation/trouble shooting and issuing of non‑conforming work reports within the lab.
• Take responsibility for lab stock management and ensuring adequate availability for all chemicals, reagents and test materials within the laboratory.
• Understand and ensure conformance to the relevant EU, UK and Isle of Man legislations and Food Safety Act, together with a working knowledge of General Health & Safety regulations and their implications.

Key Skills and Experience

• At least 2 years' experience in a micro or chemistry laboratory (Essential).
• Maths, Science and English Grade 4/C or above, or equivalent (Essential).
• Degree level qualification in a science field (Desirable).
• Good planning and organisational skills (Essential).
• Competent use of IT including Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook (Essential).
• Good verbal and written communication skills with the ability to explain technical matters to a range of stakeholders (Essential).
• In‑depth knowledge of laboratory procedures (Desirable).
• A commitment to continual improvement (Essential).
• High level of attention to detail (Essential).
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of accuracy (Essential).
• The ability to work logically and systematically to procedures especially under pressure (Essential).
• The ability to work as part of a team or unsupervised (Essential).
• A flexible attitude and willingness to help colleagues when required (Essential).
• Committed to personal development and continuous improvement (Essential).
• An understanding of the importance of confidentiality (Essential).
• Confident in handling large amounts of data (Essential).
• Supervisory experience (Desirable).
• Experience conducting internal audits (Desirable).
• Experience in formal quality management systems (Desirable).